The World's Largest Philosophy and Music Festival

Over 200 events, 80 debates and talks, and 100 music and performance events.

HowTheLightGetsIn is returning to Hay-on-Wye this May for a festival experience unlike any other. On the edge of the Black Mountains, alongside the River Wye, you'll find the world's leading thinkers debating cutting edge ideas as well as an inspiring programme of music, comedy, culture and performance.

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Festival Info

HowTheLightGetsIn Festival 2019: A Unique Festival of Ideas and Music.

HowTheLightGetsIn is back for a special tenth anniversary year!

It's not long to go until HowTheLightGetsIn's returns to Hay and the glorious banks of the River Wye. The weekend's programme will feature over 200 events, including more than 80 debates and talks with the world's leading thinkers, and 100 music and performance acts from the best talent from the UK and beyond.

Earlybird tickets have sold out. A limited number of Advance tickets are on sale now...

Music and Performance

HowTheLightGetsIn's carefully curated music and performance programme mixes established favourites with the cutting edge. With over 100 music acts across twelve stages, from exhilarating dance music to intimate gigs from enchanting singer-songwriters, there's so much going on across the weekend that you'll be spoiled for choice.

Debates and Speakers

Debate is the beating heart of HowTheLightGetsIn. We gather together the leading thinkers in every field to think through the present and find new ways of understanding the world. Over the course of the festival there are more than a hundred debates exploring where we are and where we are heading.

We've just announced our full debate programme as well as the first speakers and politics programme. Speakers announced so far include: rebel ex-Conservative MP Anna Soubry, Momentum founder Jon Lansman Shadow Women & Equalities Secretary Dawn Butler, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss and former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan. At a critical moment in UK politics, our speakers look set to make this our most influential and intellectually vibrant festival yet. Check them out here.

Comedy

As night begins to fall at HowTheLightGetsIn, the Ring and the Stage turn from hubs of intellectual activity into venues abuzz with some of the UK's best comedy acts. With an indecently funny line-up, the laughs are (almost) guaranteed to drown out the party next door. We're joined by comics such as Phil Wang, Lou Sanders, and Ahir Shah rubbing shoulders with some of the best up-and-coming talent on the comedy circuit.

Experiences

You may come for our debates, talks and music, but HowTheLightGetsIn has so much more on offer.

Our Open Platform events are a unique opportunity to dine and discuss ideas with the world leading thinkers you'll find in our programme. Beginning with an introduction from one of our speakers, you'll have your chance to have your say on the day's ideas. If there's a question you've always wanted to ask them, or if you think they got it wrong in a debate, here’s your chance. You might not get one anywhere else.

Food & Drink

With a fantastic array of pop-up stalls and eateries found throughout the festival site, every taste is well and truly catered for at HowTheLightGetsIn. Grab a quick snack between events at one of our local artisan vendors or indulge in the magical Waterfront restaurant's award-winning menu on the bank of the River Wye. And of course there's our decadent four course Long Table Banquets which help crown HowTheLightGetsIn a philosophical foodie's paradise.

Accommodation

A wide range of accommodation options to suit all group sizes set against the backdrop of the Black Mountains. If self-pitch camping suits your fancy, purchase a Festival Ticket with Camping at checkout. Or if you're looking for a little festival luxury, we've just announced our premium accommodation range, including our luxury Mongolian yurts and pre-pitched camping. Click the button below to browse our premium camping options.

Our Story

Our Story

Set on the edge of the Black Mountains, along the banks of the River Wye just outside the famed book town of Hay, HowTheLightGetsIn occupies a special location. But that's just the backdrop for the real magic to come.

"There is a crack in everything...that's how the light gets in", goes the Leonard Cohen song from which the festival gets its name and takes its inspiration. There is no other place on the planet where you can meet as many of the world's leading thinkers, discover the most cutting-edge ideas, and party and dance late into the night.

At HowTheLightGetsIn Hay 2019 you can join a debate about the nature of the universe with the world's top scientists, laugh until your sides hurt with the UK's best comedians, dance by the river to the euphoric beats, dine with our speakers in Open Platform events or indulge yourself with four course long table banquets.

HowTheLightGetsIn is not just another festival. It's alive with ideas in every field of endeavour. It's a dream-like escape where everyone can contribute their thoughts and themselves, where you can think, talk, dance and play and be amazed at what can be achieved as the festival's collective imagination flourishes.

Latest Announcements

Latest Announcements

HowTheLightGetsIn Hay 2019 will see over 100 spellbinding performances across the festival's 12 stages, parties and DJs each and every night and a whole host of new surprises for our tenth anniversary year.

Volunteer

HowTheLightGetsIn is the world’s largest and most exciting philosophy and music festival – and we need YOU to make it happen!

Volunteering at HowTheLightGetsIn is an amazing way to get involved with the process of turning our vision into a reality, as well an as opportunity for you to enjoy the festival itself with minimal costs.

Why should you get involved?

1. ACCESS. In return for their short daily shifts (typically between 5-6 hours), festival volunteers get a staff wristband giving them access to a whole range of debates, live music, film & comedy - not to mention insane discounts on the festival eateries and some of the visiting stall holders!

2. SKILLS & EXPERIENCE. Volunteering looks great on your CV and all of our volunteers can request a reference at the end of the festival for future employment. You'll get to network with festival organisers and gain an insight into the behind-the-scenes running of a large-scale event.

3. FUN. The team is always diverse, welcoming and up for having a lot of laughs, as well as working well together to keep the festival ticking. A lot of our volunteers come back year after year to have reunions and see the same friendly faces they got to know their first year volunteering.

Location

HowTheLightGets Hay 2019 is set in a magical location on the edge of the Black Mountains, alongside the river Wye in the famed book town of Hay!

Newport St, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5BG

Location

HowTheLightGetsIn is set in a magical location on the edge of the Black Mountains, alongside the River Wye in the famed book town of Hay.

We've grown since we started. But we've kept our intimate scale. Our venues are small enough to encourage real conversation, electric enough to make the dancing spin.

If you've been to Hay, you'll know why this small town draws US Presidents and Nobel Prize winners, critics and intellectuals alike into its orbit. If you haven't, it's time to see what all the fuss is about.

This year, we’ll be shaking things up a bit and expanding our Riverside site, stretching even further along the banks of the charming river Wye. We’ll be back with all of the big ideas, the show-stopping performances and late night parties you’ve come to expect, but this time you’ll have even more energy to dance into the night with everything just a stroll away.